Means for maintaining the equilibrium of flying machines



Jan.

F; w. DuFwA MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE IEQUILIBRIUM OF FLYING MACHINESFired July 1e, 1925 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 5, 1926.

v F. W. DUFWA MEANS FOR MAINTAINING THE EQUILIB-RIUM OF' FLYING MACHINESFiled July 1e, :1925

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

G 19V- o C8. w h .8J M, MNHN /4 h 6 h J .u 4J A Y J w M w )L Mexicocity, Mexico, 6

` vention will be a parent during the course a part of thisspecification and in which like parts throughout the same, y

' the cross axles and all parts mounted there. and drift accor of ahelicopter embodyingthis invention, downwardly of the machine removed.

Patented Jan.`s, 1 9 26. i 1,568,887

#UNITED .STATES PATENT or-Ficl-z.`

FREDERICK WILLIAM DUFWA, 0F MEXICO, MEXICO.

MEANS Fon MAINTAINING THE EQUILIBBIU oF FLYING MACHINES'.

i appneaon med July 16, 1925. serial No. A44,003.

['o all 'whom .it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WiLLIAM machine as lsoon as t. DUFWA, acitizen of Sweden, 'residing at but gravity can be transformed into afriend haveinvented certain which balances the machine automaticallyMeans for and, when the lifting forces fail, makes it Mamtaining theEquilibrium of Flying Macome down like a parachute. With the stiffchines, of which the following is a specificaframe gravity cannot act inthis way and it tion. is therefore necessary to give it freedom to Thisinvention relates to certain4 new and act with its full strength byusing a flexible useful improvements in' means for mainframe. This isdone by making the vertical taining the equilibrium of flying machineshelicopter axle flexible in all `directions in of the type' generallytermed helicopters. one place at a suitable distance below4 the Theprimary object of this invention is to helicopter propellers and makingthis place establish. a stable equilibrium of ying mathe union betweenthe 'upper framework, chines of the. type that are constructed to wherethe helicopter propellers are mounted, rise'verticallyvfrom the ground,such as heliand the car,where the motor, aviator, and copters or thelike. all heavy parts are located. The transmis- Other objects andadvantages of the invsion of power from thedriving motors to the liftingpropellers must not, ofcourse, of the following escription. in the least.stiften this universal connection In the ,accompanying drawings formingor joint.

VThe fiexibility of the helicopter axle. makes the machine act like aparachute both when 'it goes up andwhen it comes down. Figurelrepresents a side elevationalview The car always hangs 4vertical andpulls at the lower end of the heliyWith the llelicOPteI Section inlncllllatlOn t0 'Copter axle, thus automatically counteract,-v show theworking of the lines 49, ing any tendency of the device to deviateFigure 2 represents an end elevational from its-vertical position. Ifthe machine view of the central-portion of the machine is left free toobey the impulses it receives shown in Figure 1, and from the outside bychanges in the air` res- Figure 3 represents a vertical like a paracyute ing to the impulses reon with the upper and lower frameworksceived, instead of trying to turn over. If the motor or motors stop, itwill go down very much like a parachute, if the vhelicopter nothing butan enem which destroys the new and? useful Improvements in numerals areemployed to designate like top plan View 0f sure, it will hang1 Whentrying to construct a flying ma.-

' chine that will rise vertically from the or lifting propellers are\ofthe right size for the lifting forces to diminish greatly andconstruction. we must first of all liberate ourselves from When we try,by means of the steering the tradition of the aeroplane. One kindapparatus, to make the machine go in anof helicopter, which has hithertobeen con- 'other direction than that of the wind', our structed with one.or two propellers or screws vdiiiculties commence and they,A increasethe. rotating on a. vertical axle to lift them,have more we'try tooppose the wind.. In spite been nothingbut aeroplanes, whose wings ofthe automatic resistance, the upper part and tails were cutoff placed onend to make itstart upward. and to prevent this from going too far, weThese machines, however, never -could balmust connect one of the uppervertical ance themselves in the air and they would shifting propellersto the source of power in all turn over and fall. The reason for thisorder to maintain the equilibrium and force conduct lies in their stiffconstruction. the machine in the desired direction;

This stiff construction makes itpossiblef remembering, that if theoutside resistance or becomes too great and the machine threatens anuulentirely the balancing effect that to get out of control, we. caninstantly regravity should exercise on the machine. In. store itsequilibrium by letting 1t loose from these stiff machines gravity istherefore all restralnt ground and come down in the same way,

e .lifting forces fail,

.andthe machine then ofthe machine will bend over more or less 4 always105 iliary propellers and letting the steering apparatus loose. Even themotor or motors can be stopped and the machine entirely transformed'into a parachute. I

It is to be understood that the specific design of the liftingpropellers is not shown nor described in this application for anysuitable type or types may be used without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed. No control car or compartment hasbeen shown, however, it is to be understood that such a car orcompartment should be provided and equipped with wheels, or the like andeverything that is necessary for the convenience of the aviators.Neither is the source of power illustrated or described, but it isintended that two motors should be used` one for each half of themachine, so that if one vstops the helicopter can travel on with onlythe other working.

In the drawings, wherein for the purposes of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates in itsentirety the body portion or main frame of the machine which hasconnected thereto in a manner to permit relative universal movement inrespect thereof the helicopter or pulling section which is designate'din its entirety by the reference numeral 6.

The main part, body portionv or frame 5 includes the horizontal bar 7which has rigidly connected thereto the uprights or standards 8. Theupper ends of these uprights or standards 8 have rigidly connectedthereto the connectors or bearings 9 which receive the opposite ends ofthe shaft 10. This shaft 10 is illustrated in Fig. 3 as being 4connectedat its longitudinal center 11 to the right angularly arranged 'shaft 12.Swiveled upon the opposite ends of the axle 12 are the bearings 13 whichhave rigidly fastened thereto the upright 14. The upper ends of theseuprights 14 hve an inverted V-shaped bracket 15 fastened thereto whichis provided with a 'central bearing 16. Intermediate the ends of theuprights 14 is arranged a bracket or frame 17 which has the centralbearing portion 18 formed therein in axial alinement with bearingportion 16. The elements so far described constitute the main skeletonor structure of the machine and pro- `vide the universal connectionbetween the body portion or main frame and the helicopter or pullingsection. In Fig. 2 eyelets 19 are shown fastened to the frame connectors20 and have fastened thereto the brace or guy cables 21 which extend toeyelets 22 carried by the bottom or main frame bar 7. These brace or guywires 21 and other similar Wires, not shown, are provided forreinforcing and stiffening the main body portion er frame 5.

In Fig. 1, two drive shafts 26 and 27 are pinions, their hubs,

Maase? illustrated .and are intended to be driven in opposite directionsby two independent motors, the motors and their connections with theshafts 26 and 27 being omitted. The adjacent 'ends of these shafts 26and 27 are provided with sprocket wheels 28Y and 29 respectively uponwhich ride the sprocket chains 30 and 31 respectively. These sprocketchains further ride on sprocket Wheels 32 and 33 which are looselymounted upon the shaft 10 and have formed integrall-d therewith thebevel pinions 34 and 35 of equal size and the additional bevel pinions36 and 37 of equal size, but smaller in diameter than the bevel pinions34 and 35. In Figsfl and 3 the pinions 34 and 36 are illustrated asbeingconnected by the hub 38 while the pinions 35 and 37 are illustratedas being connected by the hub 39. It

is of course understood that these bevel and their driving sprocketwheels 32 and 33 are all loose on the shaft 10. The smaller bevelpinions 36 and 37 are shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as meshing withdiametrically, opposite sides of the bevel gear 40 which is loose on theshaft 12. The remaining bevel pinions 34-and 35 are Shown as meshingwith diametrically opposite sides of the bevel gear 41 which is looselymounted on the 'opposite end portion of the shaft 12.

In Figs. l and 2 the bevel gear 40 is illustrated as meshing with apinion 42 fastened to the shaft 43 which extends perpendicularly throughthe bearings 16 and 18 to have mounted upon its upper end one set ofhelicopter or pulling propellers 44. The bevel gear 41 is illustrated.as meshing with the bevel pinion 45 that is rigidly mounted upon thelower end of the tubular shaft 46 which surrounds the shaft 43 and isalso received within the bearings 16 and 18. This tubular shaft 46 hasmounted upon its upper end the second set of helicopter or pullingpropellers 47 which is arranged below the first mentioned set 44.

It will now be seen that the sets of helicopter or pulling propellers 44and 47 may be driven in opposite directions by the connections betweenthe drive shafts 26 and 27 and their supporting shafts 43 and 46 andthat the particular gearing just described will permit these propellersto he driven irrespective of the angnlarity of the helicopter or pullingsection 6 in respect to the body portion or main frame 5. Two differentdegrees of angularity are shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

For the purpose of steadying the helicopter or pulling sections 6 inrespect to the body portion or main frame 5 in taking ofi or in leavingthe ground, the bearing 16 has fastened thereto the eyelets 48 havingconnected thereto the 4guy wires 49 which ex- Uli `nected to theopposite ends of the shaft 10,

as at 51. Each one of these wires 49 has a ring 52 connected theretowhich is intended to be slipped over the element 51 to which the saidwire is fastened at its lower end. .After the machine has left theground, the rings 52 `should be disconnected from the elements 51, asshown in Fig. 1, so that the helicopter or pulling section 6 may pivotin respect to the body portion or main frame 5. In the same way in Fig.2` the wires23 are provided f with these rings which are put over the4meshing with diametrically opposite sides `mounted on the sha ts 56.

` propellers 57 may -thenperpendicular ,shaft 70y which..is

55 which are These shafts 56 -have loosely mounted thereon thepropellers 57, the hub portions of which are formed into clutch parts 58which cooperate with the clutch members 59k splined on the shafts 5.6.To control the connection of the propeller-s 57 with the shafts 56, thecollars 59 with their complement-al clutch portions are shiftedlongitudinally of the shafts 56 by means of the levers 60 which haveconnected to their free ends the wires or cables 61 that. extenddownwardly to the weights or ringsf 62 and then upwardly to the arms63.` By pulling on either of the cables or cords 6-1, the

be connected or disconnected with the source of power as desired.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a horizontal drive pro 65 having the bevelgearsGG fastened thereto. This shaft 65 is supported by the bracket 67journaled on the frame part 66 carried by the connector 9 and ispermitted to swing horizontally. The bevel' gear 66 meshes with a bevelgear 69 carried by onrnaled in the frame parts 71 and 72.l JThe lowerend of this shaft 70 has fastened thereto the bevel gear 7 3 which hasmeshing with'diametrically opposite sides thereof the bevel gears 74and` 75 that are loosely mounted upon the drive shaft 26. I

Splined to this drive shaft 26 are the clutch elements 76 which areintended to cooperatewith the clutch portions 77 and 78 of the bevelgears 74 and 75. These clutch elements 76 arev connected by a controlmechanismor rod 79 which 'is slidably carried by thc bearings 8O and isformed with an operating end or handle Sl. It will now bef-een that. bysliding this lnci'nher 79 in its bearings or guides 80, the respectiveclutch thereof the bevel inions mechanism peller 64 which is carried bythe shaftelements 76 maybe thrown into and out of engagement with theclutch portions 77 and 78 of the bevel gears 74 and 75 for connectingeither of the bevel gears to the drive shaft 26, or leaving both free.

For the purpose of permitting the ,propeller 6-1 to be. moved through ahorizontal planete steer the machine for changing the direction oftravel of the same horizontally through the air. the bracket men'iber 67carrying the shaft 65 has fastened thereto a sector 82 which meshes-witha similar scct'or 83 carried by the. perpendicular shaft S4. The4lowerend ot' the shaft 61 'has mounted` thereon a bevel gear 65 whichmeshes with a similar gear S6 carried b v the steering shaft 87'.This'shaft has mounted thereon a steering wheel 8S bv means of which themechanism just described may be operated in opposite directions forshifting the said propeller 64 and its shaft, 65, It will be` understoodthat the remaining upright 8 of the body portion or main frame 5 isprovided with a driving and steering propeller similar to thepropeller-designated by the reference numeral 64. The only parts of thissecond steering and driving which are illustrated are the steering wheel88, its steering shaft 87, and the clutch control member 79 and itshandle 81. I

It is to bel understood that all details of construction such asbearings of the antifriction type to prevent wear and reduce friction,have been omitted and in this respect thel showing of this machine maybeconsidered as diagrammatic. It is further to bel understood that theform of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as apreferred example of the same, and that various changes in' the shape,size. and arrangement of parts may-be resorted to- 'wthout departingfrom the sairit of the invention or the scope ofthe su joined claims.lI'Iaving thus described the invention, 4I c ann l. In a machine of thetype described, two right-singularly arranged shafts rigidly joined attheir centers, a lifting structure pivotally connected to one shaft., apendant structure pivotally connected to the second shaft, a verticalsh'att jonrnaled in the lifting structure, a drive shaft journaled inthe pendantv structure, meshing bevel gears loose on theright-singularly arranged shafts, a bevel gear on the lvertical shaftmeshing with one of the loose bevel gears,

and means for operatively connecting the drive Ishaft with the other ofthe loose bevel gears. 'i

2. In a machine of the type described, two right-angularly arrangedshafts rigidly joined at their centers, a lifting structure pivotallyconnected to one. shaft, a pendant structure pivot'ally connected to thesecond ll in shaft, a vertical shaft journaled in the lifting structure,a.v drive shaft journaled in the pendant structure, meshing bevel gearsloo on tle right-angularly arranged shafts, a

lectively 'connecting the steering 'propeller to the drive shaft. tocanse the steering propeller to rotate in opposite. directions, 'andmeans for 'swinging the steering propeller in opposite directions. A

3. In a machine of the type described, two right angnlarly arrangedshafts rigidly joined at their centers, a. lifting structure pivotallyconnected to onel shaft, a pendant structnrepivotally connected to thesecond shaft, a vertical shaft journaled in the lifting, structnre, adrive shaft journaled in the pendant structure, meshing bevel gearsloose on` the right-angularly arranged shafts, a

bevelgear on the vertical shaft meshing with o n'ez of the loose bevelgears, a horizontally swinging steering propeller carried by the pendantstructure, means for selectively connecting the steering propeller tothe drive shaft to cause the steering propeller to rotate in oppositedi1ections,-means for swinging the steering propeller in oppositedirect1ons,

a vertical driving propeller carried by the lifting structure, powertransmission means between the driving propeller and the vertical shaft,and means for rendering said .power transmission means operative orinoperative as desired.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FREDERICK lVILLIAM DUFWA.

